Kent · England
Festival Paella Catering in Lenham
Paella street food for festivals, fairs, markets and community events in Lenham: paella made from scratch in big, shallow pans, right in front of your guests, with tapas, desserts and drinks if you want them.
- Music and food festivals
- Charity and school events
- Summer fairs and fêtes
Planning an event in Lenham?
Festival paella catering in Lenham, made fresh on the day
One paella stall covers many diets: meat, seafood and vegan pans side by side. That simplifies your food line-up. Popular choices include vegan paella, chicken and chorizo paella and seafood paella, and we’re regularly asked to cater music and food festivals and farmers’ and Christmas markets.
For events in a place like Lenham, one hot-food trader that suits most diets makes life easy. Paella does exactly that. Every guest is catered for, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal included, with each paella cooked in its own pan and clearly labelled.
Running an event in Lenham
Lenham is about 7 miles south of Sittingbourne, in Kent. Tell us where your event in Lenham will be, and we’ll plan the journey and set-up before the day. We cater in all 922 towns and villages in Kent. Our events stretch from Lenham to Canterbury (16 miles away).
If your event is in Kiln Wood, the organiser will need the landowner’s permission; we will supply our paperwork. For a church fête or fundraiser, at a church such as St Mary's Church, a paella stall adds a hot meal to the cakes and tombola. Events in and around the Kent Downs National Landscape, within about 4 miles of Lenham, frequently have rules about vehicles, ground and waste; we work to the site rules.
We cater events across the ME17 postcode area and the streets around it. Local streets include High Street, Mitchell Close and Hatch Road; an event at home on any of them works well with live paella. We also cook at events in Leadingcross Green (1 mile south), Woodside Green (1 mile north-east), West Street (1 mile north-east), Lenham Forstal (2 miles south-east) and Lenham Heath (2 miles south-east). Within a short drive, we also cover Maidstone (8 miles west), Ashford (9 miles south-east), Sittingbourne (7 miles north), Faversham (9 miles north-east), Minster (13 miles north) and Kings Hill (13 miles west).
Well-known places in the area include Coldbridge Castle (2.7 miles south) and The Dog Collar Museum (3.6 miles west).
- Schools near Lenham include The Lenham School (under half a mile north-west)
- Local pubs include The Red Lion pub (under half a mile east)
Why live cooking beats a buffet
Not every trader covers vegans. A paella stall can have a vegan pan alongside the rest. Travel, parking and access can affect the price, so it helps to tell us about your venue. The full price is confirmed before booking.
Why us?
- Waiting staff and crockery on request
- Served hot, straight from the pan
- Separate pans for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests
- A clear, itemised quote
Space, weather and the venue
Before the day, we will agree where we cook. It needs to meet a few simple requirements:
- A pitch away from tents and structures
- Your arrangements for power, water and waste
- Room for our cooking and serving area
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we will advise.
What we offer
- Seafood paella
- Chicken & chorizo paella
- Vegan paella
- Churros
- Tapas
- Giant paella pans
How the day works
We cook over gas burners in wide, shallow pans. It needs a level spot with some shelter and good ventilation, which we agree with you beforehand. Summer events in Lenham have daylight until about 9:15pm at midsummer and about 7:00pm by late September, so evening trading typically finishes in daylight in high summer. For winter markets, dark by about 3:50pm, the pitch needs lighting.
- Tell us about the event, the crowd and the pitch.
- You get our stall menu and what we need on site.
- Paperwork goes over in good time.
- We time the first pans for the lunchtime rush.
- When trading ends, the pitch is cleared and left clean.
How to prepare
- Give us your final numbers and diets
- Confirm the venue is happy with live cooking
- Ensure we can park close by to unload
Ask for a quote
Each quote is tailored to your event. Tell us your date and guest numbers, and we will confirm whether we are available that day.
Related guides
Planning for every diet
Every guest is catered for, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal included. To make it work smoothly:
- Book crew catering in advance
- Ask traders about packaging and waste
- Give traders a single information pack
- Check allergen info is on display
We cook in full view of visitors, serving throughout the event.
Crew, volunteer and VIP catering.
What festival paella catering costs
The same guest numbers can mean different prices, depending on:
- Crockery and cutlery, or disposables
- The paellas you choose
- The number of people
- Travel, parking and access
Live paella often compares well with a sit-down meal, because it needs no kitchen and fewer staff. Ask us for a quote.
Getting an accurate quote
Good planning starts with a few facts. Try to include:
- What the venue already provides
- A picture of where we’d cook
- Which courses you have in mind
- Approximate guest numbers, including children
Every event is quoted individually, so you only pay for what you need. For a quote, send us your details through our quote form.
FAQs for Lenham
Could we have live paella in Kiln Wood?
Only if the landowner, normally the council, allows it. Ask them first, and we’ll send any information they need.
Is Lenham close to London?
About 39 miles from central London.
Do you take everything away?
We pack down our cooking area after service. Waiting staff can clear tables if you book them.
How much space do you need?
A level space for the pans, burners and a serving table, outdoors or in a marquee or well-ventilated area, plus the venue’s agreement to cooking.
Can you bring crockery?
Yes, if you need them. Tell us what your venue provides and we will include the rest in the quote.
How much is live paella catering?
The price depends on numbers, menu, courses, staff and travel. Tell us about your event and we’ll send a quote.
Can you cater for vegetarians and vegans?
Yes, and meat eaters frequently go back for seconds. Each is cooked separately, with its own stock and utensils.
Do you cater for coeliacs?
Yes, on request. Rice is naturally gluten-free, but stock and some ingredients may not be, so we cook a gluten-free paella separately.
Events we cater in Lenham
Organisers book paella because it draws people into the food area.
Whatever the occasion, live paella can be the centrepiece. We regularly cater:
- Race days and sports events
- Christmas and farmers’ markets
- VIP and hospitality areas
- County and country shows
School fairs, for a school like Lenham Primary School, are a natural fit for a paella stall.
Before you book anyone
- A clear list of what’s included
- Any travel, parking or access charges
- Space, access and power needs
- Whether crockery, cutlery and napkins are included
Towns and villages near Lenham
Also in Lenham
DIY paella versus live catering
Hiring a pan and burner is one option, but you will still need to source ingredients, prep and cook for hours. We take care of all of it.
Cooking paella for a crowd yourself is possible, but it is harder than it looks. A big pan needs a burner that heats it evenly, and getting the rice right for dozens of people takes experience. Our guide to cooking paella for a crowd explains how.
What’s in the pans
Giant paella pans
Huge pans of golden rice.
Seafood paella
Prawns, mussels and squid.
- Cooked live in giant pans at your event
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal options
- Paella, tapas, canapés and desserts
- Sangria, bar staff, crockery and waiting staff